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ALDI SUD Signs Agreement with Carrier for Five More CO2 Plants

April 23, 2008

COLOGNE, Germany

Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), has signed an agreement with the ALDI SÜD group, Mönchengladbach, Germany, to install five more refrigerating plants using Carbon Dioxide (CO2) refrigerant at its German branches. The projects were defined and ordered at EuroShop 2008 in February and installation will begin in May.

ALDI SÜD, a global acting discount retailer, commissioned its first Carrier CO2 refrigeration plant in 2006. Today ALDI SÜD operates seven environmentally sound refrigerating plants in Germany, accounting for approximately 80 percent of all trans-critical CO2 plants in the food retail business in the country.

"Two years ago, ALDI SÜD made a forward-looking decision to pursue an environmentally sound course with CO2 refrigeration, and we are most pleased to continue working with them," said Philippe Delpech, president, Carrier Commercial Refrigeration EMEA.

Carrier’s innovative CO2OLtec™ technology, which debuted in 2005, offers welcome relief to food retailers concerned about global warming and the environment. Today, Carrier’s CO2OLtec™ system is gaining traction in the European food retail segment, with particular success in Switzerland, Germany and Scandinavia. For low-temperature applications, 120 stores with a total of 3,900 kW installed cooling capacity are in operation today; in addition 22 stores are equipped with CO2OLtec™ technology for medium temperature with a total capacity of 4,000 kW.

"Although the initial investment in CO2 plants is higher than conventional plants, we are thinking about the long-term payback and are keen to invest in technologies that have more future potential," said Holger Schneider, who leads refrigeration technology procurements at ALDI SÜD Germany.

Among others, the ALDI SÜD branches in Krefeld, Germany, are being equipped with this progressive technology. "The town of Krefeld authorized new buildings and extensions of existing stores, which will allow us to test sustainable innovations," Schneider said.

CO2: A natural refrigerant
Used as a natural refrigerant, CO2 is known for its zero ozone depletion potential and negligible direct greenhouse effect (GWP=1). It is chemically inactive and non-combustible, and is not toxic. Carrier’s extensive experience with CO2 systems has helped it overcome the technical challenges posed by CO2’s high pressure level.

Carrier, under the agreement with ALDI SÜD, has extended its CO2OLtec™ technology to discount store applications. In addition to supermarkets and hypermarkets, CO2OLtec™ systems are now used in environmentally sound and efficient refrigerating plants ranging in capacity from 50 to 90 kW.

"Carrier has the right refrigerant solution for every application, but every application will not have the same refrigerant solution," said Delpech. "For example CO2, which is being deployed to meet market demands in the stationary refrigeration market, is unproven for use in traditional HVAC systems. But for a trans-critical, stationary refrigeration system operating around-the-clock in European climates where average ambient temperatures are below 15C/59F, the use of CO2 translates into attractive energy efficiency gains."

The CO2OLtec™ technology, based on CO2, is a viable long-term solution that does not fall under the scope of the EU F-gas regulation 842/2006, and significantly reduces direct and indirect emissions. CO2 refrigerant operates via compressors that produce very low noise levels. Smaller pipe diameters are possible too, due to the 4- to 6-fold higher volumetric cooling capacity of CO2.

ALDI SÜD’s conceptual implementation of the CO2 strategy is supported by its industry technical experts. Their focus is on the ecological aspects as well as temperature quality, the optimization of operating and energy costs and service concerns.

About Carrier Corp.
Carrier Corp., headquartered in Farmington, Conn., is the world’s largest provider of heating, airconditioning and refrigeration solutions. With 2007 revenues of $14.6 billion, Carrier has approximately 43,000 employees worldwide and operations in more than 170 countries. Carrier is part of United Technologies Corp., a Hartford, Connecticut-based provider of products and services to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.carrier.com for more information.